The government has today unveiled a $21.5 million funding increase for thousands more young children to access the additional learning support before they begin school.
"All the evidence shows that children who have a high quality early childhood education (ECE) have a head start on their learning that can set them up for life," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a statement today.
"But a lack of funding for early intervention services has meant that far too many children have missed out on behaviour, learning, or speech and language support they need to get the full benefits of ECE.
"As part of Budget 2018, we are boosting the funding for early intervention services to ensure that nearly 8000 more children will receive extra support over the next four years."
Associate Education Minister Tracey Martin said the extra operating funding of $21.5 million over four years is a significant increase on last year's budget.
Early intervention services will also receive an extra $272,000 capital to support the IT costs of additional staff.
"The extra funding is expected to halve the current waiting list for services, as well as help meet future demand pressures," Tracey Martin said.
"This Budget increase will see an extra 1,750 children receive help in this coming year and contracted early intervention specialist service providers will support an additional 150 children with the highest needs. Within two years this number will increase to an additional 200 children.
"To achieve this, more frontline early-intervention staff will be employed. Over 60 additional Early Intervention Study Awards and Speech Language Therapy Scholarships will be available to build the workforce who provide early intervention services."
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